Dreams in the Witch House

About Dreams in the Witch House

Dreams in the Witch House is an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's short story by Atom Brain Games, the studio of Antti Laakso, published by Bonus Stage Publishing in February 2023 for Windows PC. It mixes a classic point-and-click adventure with an open-world RPG.

It is 1929. Walter Gilman, a promising mathematics student, has just moved to Arkham to study at Miskatonic University and has taken a room in the Dombrowski boarding house. The house has a bad reputation, and Walter does not mind the old rumours, until the dreams start and the noises in the walls and the attic begin. A hideous scheme is under way, and if he is not careful it could cost him more than his life.

You have two months to prepare Walter for May-Eve, and how you spend them is up to you. You can focus on your studies and exams, make friends and stay in good physical and mental shape; or chase the rumours, read the forbidden books at the university and work on an occult thesis; or stay in bed and hope it all goes away. The clock keeps running through morning, day and night, and Walter gets hungry, tired and cold: a soaking in the rain or a night without heating can bring on a fever. His aunt sends a small weekly allowance, and the landlord pays for odd jobs at the cost of a day of study. Money, health, sanity and his skills rise and fall, and the otherworldly threats grow slowly.

Many elements are random, so each playthrough differs, and there are several endings. Difficulty levels change how events play out, and the hardest, an Ironman mode, allows no saves. HowLongToBeat puts the main story at about seven and a half hours, while the store gives 10 to 20 hours of play. The music is by Troy Sterling Nies.

The horror is slow rather than loud: the dread of a deadline, the rats, the dreams and the few scenes of violence and gore. It suits players who like literary cosmic horror and adventure games such as The Last Door and The Dark Rites of Arkham, and who enjoy managing their time as much as solving puzzles.

How to play Dreams in the Witch House

1. Explore Arkham from the city map: the university, shops, streets and your boarding house.
2. Plan each day: classes, odd jobs, friends, research or rest.
3. Watch Walter's money, hunger, tiredness, warmth, health and sanity, and look after them.
4. Investigate the rumours and the forbidden books to understand the dreams.
5. Prepare for May-Eve; what you did in the two months decides the ending.

Tips

• Do not neglect sleep, food and heat; a sick, feverish or broke Walter has fewer choices.
• Buy warm clothes early; the store sells thermal underwear for cold spring nights.
• The aunt's weekly money does not go far; the landlord's odd jobs pay, but cost you a day of study.
• Start on the normal difficulty and work up; the Ironman mode allows no saves.
• Each playthrough is partly random, so a second run can go very differently.

Questions